


A Change of Heart

by majorstallmadge



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Confused!Anna, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Romance, Slow Build, confused!ben
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-07 21:50:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11632617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/majorstallmadge/pseuds/majorstallmadge
Summary: They didn’t exactly fall in love, as they already loved each other since their infancy. Oh no, they were crushed by it.Like a wave during a sea storm: first unexpected, then angry with such turbulence that no earthly thing could stop it, and finally smooth and graceful - washing out the old and bringing in the new.Or the Benjamin Tallmadge and Anna Strong love story no one asked for but I wrote it anyway because any hint is all it takes for me.





	A Change of Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I am happy to be writing another story for the fandom! I know that almost no one ships Ben/Anna (and I have been wondering why not) but I am a sucker for friends to lovers and let’s be honest that this story/ship is just there to be written. I mean all the hints and twitter comments basically forced me to write this lol.
> 
> • I am still writing this story, don't really have much planned but I really hope I will end this at some point.  
> • I will be following the events of season 4 as I see fit for my story, but I think if you are not following the show you will be very lost.  
> • If you don't ship or don't even like the idea of them being together, no one is forcing you to read this so just leave.  
> • I will add warnings as I go.  
> • Many thanks to rapid-apathy for not only she encouraged me to write this, but also for the support (and friendly ear to my rants) and fool proofing my work. You are the real MVP, sister wife!  
> • You can find me at tumblr as poeedamerons and come wax poetry with me over Ben’s perfect hair.

**A Change of Heart**

 

“A sense of blessedness comes from a change of heart, not from more blessings.”

****\- Mason Cooley** **

 

 

Anna was tired.

 

******** While she was no stranger to hard work - working in the tavern for Mr. De Jong proved to be not only strenuous but borderline humiliating - her current situation proved to be more exhausting than she predicted.

****

Not only was she required to do all sorts of jobs to be permitted to stay at that particular side of camp, but she was completely ignored by Caleb and Benjamin.

****

Maybe not completely, but they kept enough from her to make her mad.

****

Typical male behaviour: when she was at an advantageous position they were more than eager to seek her out, but now that she is a camp follower and can't be used to deliver messages? She she practically had to tail Benjamin by his blue coat to know anything at all.

****

Bloody idiots, the whole lot!

****

But if all this wasn't enough, Anna, once again was the center of gossip and she honestly did not need this kind of annoyance in her life.

****

She knew what they whispered about her. The fact that she lived rather comfortably in the camp, while others had no such luck and made many green with envy; but mostly over the fact that she was always seen with Caleb and Ben and always hurrying inside the major’s tent.

****

Better yet, all the gossip was focused around herself and Ben. Which was very offensive to Caleb, in her opinion, since he wasn't such a bad looking fellow himself…. But at times of war she supposed it made more sense in people's heads that she would run after a blue coat than a loud whaler like Caleb.

****

Honestly! They were in the middle of a war and people seemed to mind more about her comings and goings than focusing on their own tasks.

****

She had to bite her cheeks and sink her nails into her hand to avoid screaming at everyone around camp. 

****

Luckily for them, she had to keep her temper in check and her lips sealed.

****

Best them never find out that on top of it all she was married to a Congressman and would rather live at some dirty camp than in a comfortable home in Philadelphia with a virtual stranger.

****

While this was a rebel camp, one can never know how trustworthy people around are or even where their loyalties lied when times got increasingly hard.

****

So she had to let them talk in order to protect the ring.

****

But then again, she was used to people talking and making up lies about her and acting like nothing was amiss to her face.

****

Setauket had taught her as much.

**** \-------------------------------------------- ** **

******** Anna wanted to bite Caleb’s head off. 

****** **

Why did he have to say that? She was tired of always being right and having those two fools doubt her because she was female. 

****** **

She really thought them better than that, but wars do have a way of making men think themselves even more superior to the female sex.

****** **

But back to her point, it was even more infuriating that Caleb  _ had  _ to make a comment regarding this specific sore point.

****** **

Like that little halfwit just  _ knew  _ exactly what to say.

****** **

It was positively infuriating.

****** **

She threw Caleb a look and took a deep breath. She knew she was going to regret it, but she supposed it was best if Benjamin knew.

****** **

What kind of intelligence agent he would be if he did not know what was being said around camp? About him even!

****** **

So tell him she did.

****** **

And the feeling of regret washed over her as soon as the Major opened his mouth.

****** **

_ I will speak to them. _

****** **

Anna wanted to scream and hit her head or  _ his head _ to the nearest flat surface.

****** **

Goodness, he was such a  _ goody-goody schoolboy _ .

****** **

Like talking to them was going to make it better.

****** **

How on earth had Benjamin survived this long? How on earth was he even an intelligence agent with all this naivete to think that talking to a bunch of hussies, who had nothing better to do than be bitter with jealousy over Anna’s ‘perks’, was a good alternative?

****** **

God, help her because she would have to tell him that having people at camp thinking they were together was easier and safer than telling the truth.

****** **

But even if they did tell them the truth, Anna did not think people would believe it. After all, the thought of the young major being seduced to bed by a disattached young woman that lived in camp by his ‘patronage’ was more exciting - and more scandalous - than a hypothetical spy ring of people they knew nothing about.

****** **

The silence that fell after Benjamin understood her meaning was, without a shadow of doubt, one of the most awkward silences in her life.

****** **

She was almost glad for Caleb’s interference had he not suggested them talking about this particular issue again.

****** **

She really wanted to bite his head off. This was all his fault after all.

 

**\--------------------------------------------**

 

Anna’s revelation was quite a shock to him.

He had no clue such things were being said around camp, and was a little embarrassed it all escaped his notice. It seemed that he was much more engrossed in this war than many and that thought worried him deeply.

It was uncomfortable to have people think he was...well….  _ with  _ Anna in any sense, considering their lifelong friendship and the fact that she was a married women. While his friendship with Selah was not as close as the one he has with Caleb, or even Abe, he was a friend nonetheless and couldn't help to feel guilty at the thought.

But Anna was right in the end. Having them believe they were together was much safer and easier. The ring, especially now, had to be protected at all costs.

It did not change, however, his feeling of unease.

Anna, for what all others knew, was an unattached, young and good looking female in a camp full of uncouth and single soldiers. 

If they had any respect for her it, was because they thought her a decent woman. But if word got around that speculated at anything other than her utmost respectability, he would fear for her well being. 

While many under his command would scoff at the rumors - most thought him the son of a reverend through and through - others would be fast in believing Anna would be receptive of their lascivious attentions and that he could not allow.

He made mental note to find someone trustworthy and honorable to keep an eye around her. Doing it himself would prove not only to be impossible considering his responsibilities, but it would add fuel to the gossip.

Hopefully none of this idle talk would reach the likes of Hamilton and General Washington. That is not a conversation he was eager to have with his superiors.

Settled with his decision on the matter he focused his worries to the impending mission in Setauket.

 

**\--------------------------------------------**

 

Caleb’s comment irked him a bit.

That’s what he is going to tell himself, anyway.

And not to wonder over the fact that he was equally impressed with Anna’s knowledge and skill, and also wounded over the fact that she did know more than he, when he should be the one with deep grasp over the terrain and military expertise.

He was guilty of male vanity, at least some.

Try as he might, but Anna was the brightest star guiding his thoughts ever since that fateful night.

He should be protecting her. That was the condition of allowing her in the ring and his promise to Selah.

_ Selah.  _ He could taste bile in his throat.

Selah who was her husband - even though an estranged one - could not even dream such thing was being said about his wife and friend. He would have any right to hate Ben - considering he so far had said nothing of her whereabouts, much less that she was with him at  _ camp  _ of all places - and take Anna away from danger and spiteful gossip.

_ Focus! _ His mind screamed. He was in a mission for Christ’s sake, one that he could not fail in any aspect.

Not only was it strategically decisive to their war effort, but he had a feeling Washinton was waiting on the result of this raid to decide if he should be trusted and kept in his post or if that letter he received from Arnold held more than Benjamin conveyed.

He could not let thoughts of Anna - who was one of his best friends on earth and nothing more - cloud his mind during such a critical moment.

He carefully observed the surroundings of the fort, not spotting a single in watch the tower. 

He gave Caleb the order and as quickly as it all began, it ended.

They entered the fort with little enemy resistance.

They burned every single piece of hay and destroyed anything of consequence to the red coats. He would not leave anything they could later restore and use to their advantage.

His mind reeled and reveled in battle, glad of the much needed distraction.

Apart from a few scratches, he did not lose a single man during the raid.

His heart hammered with pride over his victory, but brown luscious locks and bright brown eyes invaded his thoughts shortly after.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are always welcome! <3


End file.
